Sliders: The New Genesis
by ReaperNY
Summary: These are the chronicles of Professor Max Arturo, who was left stranded in the wrong universe, in the middle of Season 2. Now, with a band of young new adventurers, he continues his journey through the Multi-Verse as a fantastic new saga begins.
1. Chapter 1

The heavy set man, with long hair, frizzed beard and focused eyes concentrated to such a degree that it seemed nothing could break his mental state. Indeed for the past four years, Professor Maximillian Arturo had done nothing but clench his mind to his work. He was absolutely determined to re create inter-dimensional travel as his student Quinn Mallory had once done.

The Professor tinkers with a few micro chips on his newly designed Timer and suddenly stops. He gracefully puts down his small tools and swallows hard. He leans back in his chair and rubs his eyes. It was as if all his past dimensional travels had hit him all at once. Maximillian flashes back on that terrible period four years ago, when he was stranded in the dimension he currently resides in.

Professor Arturo, Quinn Mallory, Wade Wells and Rembrandt Brown had been lost within the Mutli-Verse for about a year and a half. They had begun their fantastic journey in the basement of Quinn Mallory, Arturo's one time student. Mallory had successfully discovered a way to open gate ways to parallel universes, a process he called Sliding. But after a mishap with the Timer device, the four unwitting travelers found themselves hopelessly lost amidst the seemingly infinite wheel of alternate dimensions, unable to find their way back to their reality. After countless parallel Earths, several brushes with death and a better knowledge of the very concept of historical civilization itself, the quartet's quest seemed to come to an end when they thought they had finally made it back to their Earth prime.

The good Professor was unfortunately the first one to discover that this was not their home, but a close copy of their home dimension. Arturo was captured by his less than scrupulous double and chained up for weeks in his basement. It was his doppleganger's plan to take the credit for Sliding for himself and win a Nobel Prize. After being rescued by his other three traveling companions, after they to had figured out that they were indeed in the wrong universe, the Professor physically confronted his devious double on the front lawn the Mallory residence. In the confusion Arturo was knocked in the jaw by his double and missed his window of opportunity to escape to the next parallel dimension. This effectively left him stranded in the wrong universe, much to his dismay.

After months of falling into clinical depression and thoughts of suicide, Maximillian snapped into a mental state of sheer determination to make it back to his home Earth. He would painstakingly re create the Sliding dimensional technology if it was the last thing he ever did. Knowing he would need massive amounts of funding, he hit on an idea. Using his double's previous media spotlight to capitalize on Sliding, he took a proposal to the U.S. government. In exchange for limitless funds and work space, he would develop dimensional travel for military applications. This the government readily accepted and it was than that Project Multi-Verse was jump started. A top secret operation spear headed by Professor Arturo. Of course his plans were to never give the military what he was promising, he simply needed them to believe that he was developing inter dimensional technology, so that he could work unabated. All he wanted to do was get home.

Now after four years of toiling, calculation and frustration, he has done it. He has successfully built a new Timer and he fully intends on using it for himself to Slide out of this world. Just a few finishing touches with some said microchips and double checking some formulas…and he can once again continue his quest. He snaps the back of the new Timer into place and pushes a button. The numerical digital readout comes to life and displays a countdown of twenty three hours exact (23:00:00) to the opening of the next dimensional vortex. A smile of pure triumph crosses the Professor's face as he breathes a sigh of elation.

Just than a voice breaks Arturo's gaze "I'm glad to see someone is enjoying themselves."

Maximillian looks over and sees a tall tanned skin man in full Air Force dress uniform. This is Lieutenant Colonel Jason Chavez, head officer of security for Project Multi-Verse.

"Oh it's just you Colonel, you startled me." says Arturo.

"My apologies Professor, just thought I'd check in on you. You've been in this lab for two days straight without a break, what gives?" says Chavez.

"Yes well, I am nearing completion of my life's work Colonel. Rest is a second priority as far as I'm concerned." says Arturo as he gets up from his chair and over to a large wall mounted white board, where several long and complex mathematical formulas are written.

Chavez crosses his arms and gives a knowing stare "I can't help but notice that you've been hittin this pretty hard the past few weeks. Hell you've hardly been out of this laboratory. Now I've known you for the past four years Professor and you've always been passionate about this operation, but nothing like I've seen you the last few weeks."

"Haven't you ever heard of hitting a stride my dear Colonel! Well that's what has happened for past few weeks, I'm so close I can taste it!" shouts Arturo.

Continuing his suspicious stare down "Really, yet the Multi-Verse Project Bureau hasn't heard any official progress reports from your end Professor. You can see why they would be inclined to think your hiding something. In fact I'd say by the looks of that device, and the way it's counting down, it's a sure bet your hiding something." says Chavez as he picks up the Timer.

Aurturo strides up to the Colonel and looks him dead in the face, stone seriousness across his features. He looks slightly up at the taller man and than looks to the Timer "Alright, I've hit upon my goal if you must know!"

Chavez smiles "So what your telling me is you've actually done it. Tell me it's true that you can open door ways to other universes, other realities where things might be different…tell me Professor!"

Arturo walks a few paces ahead and shakes his head, knowing his cover has been blown. He turns around to again face Colonel Chavez "Yes it's true."

Chavez narrows his eyes "So just how long did you intend to keep this a secret Arturo? You know how much money the government has poured into this project, into you! But I see what your game is, you were gonna milk them for all they were worth until you got what you wanted. So now tell me what happens in twenty two hours and fifty minutes, according to this thing's readout."

Just than a woman, attractive, long dark hair, glasses and a white coat walks in the door. This is Dr. Maria Chavez, accomplished Astro-Physicist, assistant head of Project Multi-Verse and cousin to Colonel Jason Chavez "Hey Professor, listen I got your notes on stable wormhole resistance but I…" she stops when she sees the scenario playing out.

"What's going on?" she asks.

Jason looks back at his cousin "Hello Prima, I was just having a conversation with the good Professor here. It seems he's made some progress." The Colonel shows Maria the Timer and he points to the digital countdown.

Maria puts her hand to her mouth and walks over to Arturo "My God Maximillian, you've done it? You've completed the Timer…"

Arturo just walks over to the large white board and leans against it with his arm.

"Just when were gonna tell me about this Professor?" asks Maria.

"That's the beauty of it cus, I don't think he was going to. It's my guess that the good Professor Aurturo was going to jump into his big blue tunnel sometime tomorrow and leave us groping in the dark. Isn't that right Professor!" shouts Jason.

"Is that true…how could you do that? Dammit Maximillian, this was just as much my project as it was yours! You had no right in hell to keep this from me!" says Maria.

"Oh really now my good doctor! It was I who initiated the work to re create Sliding in the first place! You see I don't want to use this technology for warfare or anything else! I simply want to get back to my home dimension! Is that clear enough for you doctor?" says Arturo.

"What the hell are you talking about?" asks Jason.

"Max what are you saying?" asks Maria.

"You blistering idiots, if it isn't painfully obvious by now, I am not from this universe! That's right I am not this reality's Maximillian Arturo!"

"Does this have anything to do with that Mallory kid? " asks Maria.

"Yes, you see I started my Sliding journey more than six years ago. About a year and a half into it, me any my companions, Mr. Mallory, Miss Wells and the good Mr. Brown, Slid into this universe. We mistook it for our own and in due course let's say I was stranded here by the work of my deranged double! When the others Slid out of this dimension, my double took my place and I was left here. So for four years, I have vowed to duplicate the technology to finally take me home!" says Arturo.

"So the whole damn thing was a scam. You never intended to give the government anything, just use them to serve your own ends." says Jason.

"After four years of working together, I can't believe you would use me like this!" says Maria.

Aurturo puts his hands on Dr. Chavez's shoulders "Look all I can say is I'm sorry. But know that I had no intentions not to share this with you. In fact, I'm glad you're here, as you've heard the Colonel say I'm due to depart this dimension this time tomorrow. When that Timer hits zero, I shall Slide out of here and continue the journey I started over six years ago, until I find my home. However, although I am obviously taking the Timer with me, I am leaving it's blue print design and schematics behind with you, so that you may call Sliding your own and reap all it's benefits. Plus I want you to be here tomorrow to have video proof of the wormhole I shall open. It's my thank you, because…well quite frankly I couldn't have done this without you my dear Maria. You were almost like a daughter to me, much like Miss Wells."

"So that's it, what am I supposed to tell the military when they question me about all this? Asks Maria.

"You may tell them whatever you wish, my concerns no longer lie with this world or anything in it." says Arturo as he begins to walk towards the door.

Just than Jason puts himself in between the Professor and the exit "Hold on there Professor, you should know that I can't just let you leave like this. Now what your doing is considered federal fraud and treason. I have every obligation to place you under military arrest."

"Jason what are doing?" stammers Maria.

"However I am willing to overlook all of this, provided you do me one small favor." says Jason.

After a few moments of pause Arturo angrily shouts "Well out with it man, what the devil do you want?"

Jason tosses the Timer back to the Professor "That you take me with you."

"My God Jason you can't be serious!" says Maria.

"Good heavens man, you don't know what your asking." says Arturo.

"I know exactly what I'm asking Professor. You see the only reason I decided to sign on with this project was because I was captivated by the mere thought of more worlds out there. You've seen them Professor, I know there has to be universes out there far better than this shit hole I'm living in. The thought of meeting different versions of myself, maybe finding a universe where I could be happy and leave all this behind. Professor I'd give anything to go on a journey like that, it would give me more purpose and meaning than you could ever imagine. Take me with you…"

"The dangers you will face will be beyond anything you could comprehend Colonel. There are universes out there that contain horrors the likes of which you can scarcely dream. Not to mention that I don't plan on foregoing this journey forever, once I find my universe, the journey will end. From that point you would be going at it alone. Is that what you really want Colonel, to be potentially lost with a number of infinite universes the rest of your natural life?" says Arturo.

"Nothing would please me more Professor. Besides I've always heard you say that two heads are better than one." says Jason.

A smile begins to form on Maximillian's lips and he looks up to the Colonel "Alright, I suppose I could use a wing man as you Air Force types call it. "

"You two are crazy! Jason how could you just leave your family, your friends, your life for goodness sake?" asks Maria.

"Maria you know you're the only family I have, and this is just something I have to do. If there's a chance I can find my paradise out there, I've got to go for it." says Jason.

"What about it Miss Chavez, will you be here tomorrow to see us off so to speak?" asks Arturo.

Maria takes in a deep sigh and wipes a tear from her face "Do I have a choice in this."

Arturo smiles and gently pats her on the shoulder "Good show than. Now listen my boy, we Slide in precisely twenty two hours and thirty minutes. So between now and than you had better get any last minute affairs out of the way or last goodbyes or whatever. Because chances are you will never see this world again."

"Understood Professor…" says Jason.

"Alright than, until tomorrow Colonel, when we shall depart this universe forever." says Arturo as he slowly exit's the lab.


	2. Chapter 2

The harsh beeping of an alarm clock went off to jolt Professor Arturo out of a precarious sleep. He sits up in his reclining arm chair in front of his desk and yawns loudly. He rubs his eyes and looks at his watch, the time reading 8:03 A.M. He rises from his chair and looks outside to the dawn sun just beginning to break over the horizon, the early morning fog settling back down to the ground.

There was still about thirty minutes till the Slide and the Professor smiles slightly. He knew one way or another, this was the last time he would ever see this place. Thinking to himself, he found it quite odd how when he first Slid into this dimension, it felt so much like the home he had left behind. But for the past four years he hardly ever stopped to look at it. It just seemed like a counterfeit, like a lie. Now he was about to begin his journey anew, it truly felt like a new beginning.

Arturo quickly gets up and brushes his teeth and shuts off all the lights in the house. As he begins to take his final steps out the front door, he knocks over a pile of papers on one of the cabinets. Picking them up, he sees that they are some of his old lecture notes, or rather some his double's old lecture notes. It was than that he was flooded with memories as the image of Quinn Mallory grabs his mind. How often did he think about Quinn, Wade and Rembrandt these last four years. At the start, his longing for his lost companions almost drove him to suicide. But as time went on, his new found determination to get home, overrode his memories. It was a way to deal with the pain, his work consumed him. But at times like these, he stopped and thought about what became of his three friends. He wondered if they were alive or if they themselves had ever made it home.

He took a deep breath and regained his composure "Well no time for reminiscing now uh, I've got a wormhole to catch." The Professor gathered some paperwork and high tailed it out the front door…

* * *

Lt. Colonel Jason Chavez stood on a high balcony, overlooking the city. He sips a tall mug of hot coffee and just gazes out into the vast pre dawn expanse. His military dog tags hang around his neck and he brings them up to his eyes. Despite his successful military career, his world really held nothing for him. There was really nothing or no one he really cared about, save for his cousin, Maria.

This was just the opportunity he had longed for, to find out what new worlds were out there. Jason looks around and shakes his head. This reality was filled with nothing but fear, doubt, crime and inhumanity. He was glad to leave it all behind and essentially start fresh. What greater experience and adventure could await someone than traveling between different universes? Jason looks at his watch which reads 8:10 A.M. and he gulps down the rest of his coffee.

With a great sense of urgency, he zips up his black flight suit and goes back inside. With humorous abandon he tapes a small note to his mirror inside of his room. The note reads a whimsical…

"Out to lunch, be back never"

Jason makes his way out of his apartment and downstairs, where his new destiny awaited him…

* * *

Inside the lab Maria Chavez waits nervously for her two send offs. She has set up all kinds of monitoring equipment, including a video camera, ready to capture the glorious sight of the inter dimensional wormhole as it opens and closes. Maria flips open the Timer and breathes an agitated breath. The Timer read ten minutes to zero, where were they?

At that moment Professor Arturo casually walks in eating a glazed donut. He walks over to the large white board and starts to go over his numerous formulas. Maria walks over to him and crosses her arms in annoyance.

"Well good morning Professor, I thought you were never going to show." she says.

"Oh come now my good woman, you didn't expect me to Slide on an empty stomach did you?" he says as he turns around to face her, shoving the last bit of pastry into his mouth.

"Now if only Jason would be good enough to show." says Maria.

"Oh not to worry, not to worry, that cousin of yours has a damn good head on his shoulders. He'll be here on time." says Arturo.

Excitement begins to brim over in the Professor's mind. It had been over four years since he had experienced the rush of jumping into that fantastic swirling portal. The thrill of flying through the vortex and straight out the other side. The Professor chuckled slightly as he also remembered those uncomfortable but very frequent hard landings. Oh to get back into the swing of Sliding again, the very thought made his mouth water with anticipation.

Maria again looks at the readout on the Timer, which now reads only seven minutes to zero "Oh where the hell is he?"

A few minutes later Jason comes in sipping a cup of coffee from a local Seven Eleven. He waves to his cousin and the Professor as he gleefully preps for his dimensional journey. Maria goes over and lightly taps him on the arm.

"Dammit, where were you? I was worried something happened!" she shouted.

"Oh come on prima, if there's one thing you should've learned years ago, is that I can never start my day without a good cup of brew. So since this would be unlike any other day I've started, I figured a double dose of good ole' java was in order." says Jason.

Arturo goes over and pats the Colonel on the shoulder and laughs "Cheers Colonel, it seems we think alike already."

"I hope they have Seven Eleven in the next universe, aye Professor." says Jason.

"I hate to break up your little male bonding time, but you've three minutes to vortex." says Maria.

"Yes well, I do believe some goodbyes are in order. My dear Miss Chavez, you have been one of the most cheerful and brilliant minds I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. I shall never forget you." says Arturo.

"I'll never forget you either Professor. You could be an real pain in the ass sometimes, but you always kept me on my toes. I'll miss you so much." she says as she gives Arturo a long embrace.

Maria than makes her way over to her cousin and tears start to fall from her eyes "You take care little cousin. I still don't understand why you want to do this, but always know my heart is with you and I'll always love you."

Jason starts to get teary eyed to as he embraces his cousin "Oh I love you to Mariaita, hey you know me, spontaneous as they come. Come on now dry those eyes, it's a whole new world for me out there, or worlds." he says as both begin to laugh.

"Well thirty seconds to opening…" says the Professor.

Just than a horde of armed security forces burst into the lab, all brandishing small arms and pointed at the trio. In steps an imposing man, dressed in Army fatigues. This is Major General Thaddeus Strong.

"You know you people really should've put more thought into this little plan of yours. I mean you didn't think this whole lab would've been bugged. The military has gotta protect it's interests ya know. Now I'm afraid no one is going anywhere, kindly slide that little device over here and there need be no violence." says Strong.

Jason stands at attention "General sir, I can explain…"

Strong immediately cuts him off "Save your sorry explanations for your court marshal Colonel, cuz that's all you've got coming. As for you Professor Arturo and Dr. Chavez, I'm placing you under arrest for treason."

Arturo clenches his lips and looks down at the Timer which reaches zero. He clenches his teeth and activates the vortex, which appears as a brilliant blue swirling portal a few feet in front of them. A gush of wind bursts from the wormhole and the bright light of energy causes brief distraction amongst the armed soldiers. Jason sees his chance and lifts up a table directly in front of him and hurls it towards the security officers, knocking several of them back.

"Now go Professor, go!" shouts Jason.

Arturo leaps into the portal as gunfire begins to erupt. Jason grabs a hold of Maria and pushes her towards the portal.

"Well I guess we don't have a choice now, your comin along to cousin!" he says as he pushes her into the vortex.

"Dammit get back here!" shouts General Strong, still trying to recover from the table toss.

Jason gives him a defiant salute and leaps into the wormhole, mere seconds before it closes off…

Strong widens his eyes in anger "Son of bitch!"


	3. Chapter 3

The silence of the alleyway was shattered by the sudden distortion of the space just above the ground. The molecules twist and shift until a small point of light expands into a brilliant blue vortex that opens several feet wide and several feet high. Out the portal comes flying the form of the Professor as he lands with a hard crash against a nearby trash can. Directly following him is Maria as she lands almost directly on top of him. A few seconds later, Jason breaks through the wormhole with his hands hitting the ground first and sending him into a flip, which has him landing straight on his bottom. The vortex closes leaving the three travelers in their first alternate dimension.

The Professor groans as he rubs his back in response to his hard landing "Damn, I'd forgotten about those hail Mary fly throughs. Are you alright Miss Chavez?"

"I think so, but I can't believe he did this to me!" shouts Maria.

Jason plops up from his fall, a childish glee on his face as he hoots a shout of approval "Whooo! Damn whata rush, that was great!"

Maria goes and starts to pummel her cousin with light but swift blows from her open palms "What were you thinking, how the hell could you do this to me!"

"Oh come on, what did you expect me to do, leave you there? They were going to throw you in prison, there wasn't a choice!" says Jason.

"Alright now lets not argue. What's done is done, the Colonel is right, there was very little choice in the matter. I suggest we focus on our present surroundings, this is a whole new world. Welcome to Sliding my dear young ones." says Arturo.

"My career, my friends…I'll never see them again!" shouts Maria.

"We haven't the time to dwell on that now Miss Chavez. The important thing is were all safe and unharmed, for the present anyway." says Arturo.

"He's right, so instead of throwing a fit, try showing some gratitude." says Jason.

"Oh shut up…" snaps Maria.

"Alright, enough the both of you. I refuse to sit by and watch two grown minds act like a bunch of squabbling children. I suggest we best get acclimated to where ever we are. According to the Timer, we've got a little under four days here.

The trio begin to walk out of the alley and into the open street. This alternate San Francisco didn't at all resemble the one they had just come from. The streets, the signs, the traffic…all were unfamiliar. Than the Professor spots something that makes his eyes widen.

"Good heavens, is that the Washington Monument, here in San Francisco?" he stammers.

"Check out those fields, the Capitol Building and yup…the White House over there." says Jason.

"It seems that in this universe, California rather than Washington D.C. is the nation's Capitol, incredible."

Maria entertains an exasperated expression on her face "How is that possible? If the first pioneers settled on the east coast, wouldn't it be logical that they would establish their capitol on the place where they first settled, as in our world?"

"Ahh but you forget my dear Miss Chavez, different universes, different historical timelines and outcomes. Obviously here, the west rather than the east coast was settled first. Or perhaps even the directional placing of the continents might be different. East might be west and west east, anything is possible." says the Professor.

Jason spots a large crowd assembled in front a window, obviously transfixed on several television screens "Hey guys, check that out. What do you suppose all the fuss is about?"

"I don't know, but I will tell you something of vital importance that I've learned on my inter-dimensional travels. Never get involved with the locals, consider that your first lesson on proper Sliding, eh." says Arturo.

"Oh come on Professor, what could be the harm in checking it out?" asks Jason as he walks over towards the crowd and pushes his way through to see one of the television monitors.

Arturo shakes his head "Famous last words."

Meanwhile across the street a brown car is parked near a curb and two men wearing sunglasses watch the whole of the street intently as if waiting for something. The man in the driver's seat, a Caucasian male, clean shaven taps his companion sitting in the passenger's seat.

"Hey check this out. The tall tanned skin guy in the crowd over there. If I didn't know better I'd say…" says the man.

The man in the passenger's seat holds a pair of binoculars to his eyes and zooms in on Jason "What in the hell? It can't be, he's way to young."

"I'm telling you that's him, it's gotta be. He's wearing make up or something, trying not to be recognized, call it in." says the other man.

As the crowd watch the television screens, the scene is of a large press conference in the White House. The cameras are focused on the Presidential podium.

"Hey what gives, somebody gonna make a speech or something?" asks Jason as he taps another man on the shoulder.

"Yea the President's gonna address the nation, something to do with the building tension between the U.S. and Canada. Who knows, he might even declare war on the maple leaf eatin bastards." says the man.

Jason smirks "A war with Canada, are you serious?"

"Yea crazy huh, but the way their muggin us about Alaska, the oil shortage and everything, they deserve whatever they get. But I guess we'll find out when the President comes on." says the man.

Jason turns his attention back to the television screen and mumbles to himself "Let's see what shmuck they elected on this world."

"Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States…" says the announcer.

Out walks a tall, regal and handsome older man in his mid fifties. He has gray hair, but well styled, bright hazel eyes and a well trimmed goatee. His skin is nicely golden tan and he is wearing a sharp black suit, with a black tie adorned with gray stripes. On his lapel is a glistening pin of the American flag. The president faces the crowd.

"President Jason Miguel Chavez to answer questions…" says the announcer.

For several moments Jason just stares in stunned silence at what he has just seen, He squints, than rubs his eyes to make sure they are not playing tricks on him. He takes several shallow breathes and shakes his head in disbelief "Holy shit, it's me."

Both the Professor and Maria stand at the back of the crowd with their mouths hanging open and both look at each other, obviously sharing in their companion's disbelief.

"Good Lord…" says the Professor. He tries to fight his way through the crowd to reach Jason and shouts over the din of the people. "Colonel, I suggest we make a hasty exit!"

Jason looks back, his expression one of disbelieving euphoria "Professor, it's me! I'm President of the United States!"

Back across the street the two men sitting inside the brown car are watching Jason's every movement. The man in the passenger's seat talks intently on his cell phone.

"Boss I'm telling you, it's him, it's the President! Out in plain sight, wearing some kind of age make up or something. What do you want us to do?"

"Take the shot!" says the voice on the other end.

"But what about the other people, he's in a huge crowd?" says the man in the passenger's seat.

"If it's him than take the shot, you'll never get another opportunity like this, do it!" says the voice as it hangs up.

The two men just look at one another and the man in the passenger's seat swiftly turns around and grabs a high powered sniper style rifle from the back seat. The man in the driver's seat grabs the gun and quickly brings it to his lap and sticks a tiny bit of the barrel out the car window. His telescopic sight aimed right at Jason. His finger pulls back on the trigger and the bullet fires out, muffled by a silencer.

At the last second another bystander inadvertently places himself in the path of the oncoming projectile and is struck down by the bullet. He falls into the crowd as onlookers stare in horror. Another shot rings out, this one shattering a pane of glass nearby. Frightened people scatter in all directions, frantic about this unseen attack.

"Jason my boy, take cover!" shouts the Professor as he grabs Maria and ducks behind a parked car.

"We haven't been here fives minuets and someone's already shooting at us!" shouts Maria.

Jason hits the ground and covers his head with his arms, waiting for more bullets to come wizzing by "Oh I don't know if I'm gonna like this Sliding thing!"

The gunman pounds the steering wheel in frustration at missing his target and hastily drives off in a hurry. The brown car with the two men in it soon turn off the road and disappear.


	4. Chapter 4

The commotion alerted the attention of several police and within a matter of minutes, a contingent of squad cars had descended on the area. People were still frantic, as many of them were unsure whether the sudden attack was over or simply delayed for another onslaught. The cops slowly began to take control of the situation as they cordoned off a large portion of the block and began interviewing bystanders. Jason was still face on the ground his head covered by his arms, several shards of glass peppered along his back as two policemen grab him by his arms and hoist him up.

"Ok buddy, what's your story, are you hurt?" asked one policeman.

Jason squints slightly, the loud popping of the shattered window temporarily giving him hearing trouble "Is it over?"

"Yea it's over, did you happen to see anything? A face or a car or anything that could help us catch whoever did this?" asked the policeman.

"Well um, other than the poor guy who got shot right in front of me, I was to busy ducking for my life to notice anything." says Jason.

"Well ok, we'll get you checked out at the hospital just in case you…" the policeman suddenly stops and narrows his eyes as he suddenly realizes he has seen this man's face before. "You look familiar, hold the phone! My God in heaven, could it really be? Hey Joey get a load of this!"

Another officer makes his way over to were Jason and the other policeman are standing and widens his eyes.

"Check this guy out, who does he look like to you?" says the first officer.

Jason grins nervously "Hey fellas, it's nothing really. I'm alright, in fact I feel better than I have years, I gotta go." he says as he tries to hurriedly walk away from the scene.

The first officer grabs Jason by his arm "Hold on there fella!"

Officer Joey gently turns Jason around to get a better look at his face "What in the…Mr. President, is that you?"

"I knew it, no one can mistake that face! Mr. President what in the world are you doing here out in the open, and looking like that? I mean you look twenty years younger, what ya get a face lift or something?" asks the first cop.

"President, oh no, you guys are making a mistake. I just got one of them faces that's all. Trust me I'm not the President." says Jason trying to pass off that he has no knowledge about his double.

"I think you better come with us, we'll sort all this out down at the station." says Joey.

While all the commotion was happening, Maria and the Professor were ducking behind a car, waiting for the right moment to emerge. Slowly they peek over the hood to ensure the danger had passed.

"Sliding, it a dangerous business. Are you alright my dear?" asks the Professor.

"Yes thank you Professor, just a little shaken up I suppose. What the hell was that about?" asks Maria as she dusts herself off.

"I don't know and quite frankly I don't care. I just want to get as far away from here as possible." says Arturo.

"Agreed, let's find Jason and get out of here." says Maria. She suddenly stops cold and spots her cousin and the police that flank him. She over hears the last bit of conversation and panics "Oh no, Professor look."

"Good heavens, they must think the Colonel is their President. Come we've got to get over there!" The Professor grabs Maria and the two of them shuffle franticly to intervene on Jason's behalf. They break through the mob of bystanders and police and start shouting "Excuse me officers, that man is with us. I can assure you he knows nothing about this crime, all of us are just passing through." says Arturo.

"Uh yea, yea were just passing through officer. The three of us are strangers here, we don't know anything about the President or anything else for that matter. So uh we'll just be on our way, huh." says Jason as he again tries to make a B-line away from the scene.

"Nobody is going anywhere until we get this all sorted out. Now who the hell are you and the lady and what angle do both of you have in this?" asks Joey.

"No angle at all my good fellow, as my friend explained all of us are simply passing through." says the Professor.

"Ok so you say your not the President, so than who are you? I wanna see some I.D." asks Joey.

"Now look here, the boy has done nothing wrong! What right have you to question him like some criminal?" shouts the Professor angrily.

"That's it, I'm taking you all down the station and than maybe we'll get some answers, hands up all of you!" shouts Joey as he and several other officers force the Sliders against one of the squad cars and begin to handcuff them.

"You guys are crazy, we haven't done anything!" shouts Maria.

"You call yourselves police, your nothing but a bunch of empty headed buffoons." shouts Arturo.

"Professor, your only making it worse. Just calm down, we'll get all this straightened out, you just gotta keep it cool." says Jason.

Arturo looks at Jason and frowns "Are you mad, we have nothing to do with these people!"

"Alright enough jabber all of you, get in the car." says another officer as he forces the three into the squad car.

* * *

Maria and the Professor sit in a moderate size interrogation room, both sitting behind a long table with their hands still cuffed. A single overhead lamp illuminated the expanse of the room and the two look nervously at each other.

"So did this thing happen often in your Sliding travels Max?" asks Maria.

Arturo impatiently stands up with an annoyed look upon his face "More times than I care to remember! It seems these alternate universes are just as maddening as when the first time I embarked on this insane journey!" He lowers his head and whispers to himself "Damn you Mr. Mallory, if only I could've gone with you."

At that moment the door opens and a uniformed police officer walks in carrying two manila folders. The man is stocky in size, but well built and sports a crew cut. He approaches the table solemnly and opens one folder "Would you care to take a seat…Professor Arturo is it? My name is Sergeant Mike Douglass and I'm going to be asking you some standard case questions. If you'll have a seat sir, we can begin."

Arturo turns around and glares at Douglass "So I suppose your going to explain why you have imprisoned three innocents without the slightest bit of just cause, and where is our other companion?"

"You've not been imprisoned Mr. Arturo, your companion is being held in another room for security purposes, now I'll ask you again, please have a seat." says Douglass, after which Arturo reluctantly sits down.

"Thank you, now I suppose we'll start this interview with your said identities." says Douglass.

"Interview, more like inquisition!" shouts Arturo.

"Professor enough !" says Maria.

Douglass just stares down Arturo for a few moments and looks down at the open manila folder "We have no record of a Professor Maximillian Arturo on any national data base, so that name is obviously an alias. Now as for you miss, you told us your name is a Dr. Maria Chavez. But it's interesting to note that a woman by that name died ten years ago. What struck us as most odd however is that your picture and fingerprints match up identically to the deceased. So you wanna tell me how in the world you have the fingerprints of a woman that's been dead for a decade? Now the face can be made up surgically, but fingerprints are quite another story, it would be impossible to fake those. It seems we have quite a mystery on our hands, I'd say you two have quite a bit of explaining to do."

Arturo and Maria just give each other another awkward stare and the Professor takes a deep breath "I can assure you, your not going to believe a word of the explanation I'm about to give you."

Douglass just wipes his chin "Try me."

* * *

Jason sits handcuffed behind an identical table, in an identical room as that which holds his two companions. The harsh overhead light glares into his vision as two police officers stare down at him. Seeing no other option but to tell the truth or be jailed for impersonating the President, Jason has spilled the beans to the two officers. He looks for a response on their stone emotionless faces.

"You really expect us to believe that shit story? Well I'll tell you something son, you get an A for creativity, alternate universes huh? That's the most original defense I've heard yet. Now look, I'm gonna give you five minutes to come clean or else we are gonna bag your ass for impersonating the President, which might I add is a highly volatile Federal crime!" says one of the officers.

"Look I know how hard it is to believe, trust me I do. But as God as my witness, I swear to you it's the truth! Me and my friends are from a parallel dimension, we mean no harm to anyone." says Jason.

"So lemme get this straight, your trying to tell us that our President Chavez is your twin or something?" ask the officer.

"They are called Doubles, in many parallel universes everyone has a different version of themselves. In this universe, my double just happens to be the President!" says Jason.

"Ok than, tell me something, if he's your double or whatever you call it, why is he older than you are?" asks the first officer.

"That's a new one on me, look I'm not a scientist. Ask the Professor, he's done this kind of thing before. It's my first Slide for goodness sakes!" says Jason flustered.

"Oh this is bullcrap, I bet your some kind of Canadian spy or something. I hear they practice all kinds of weird experiments up there! This guy could be some kind of cloning operation gone wrong or a mutant or something!" shouts the other officer.

"Look I don't know anything about this world's politics or anything else that's going on. I'm not a spy or a clone or a mutant or anything like that." says Jason.

"I say we book this space case. Let the shrinks handle him and his other friends." says the other officer as they both get up and move towards the door.

"Wait I'm telling you the truth, you have to believe me!" shouts Jason as the two officers laugh it off and walk out of the door.

* * *

The Oval Office sits as a proud and dignified monument to greatness. Several distinguished men have sat in it's confines, the nation's greatest honor for it's worthy elected leaders. The most recent of these sits at the head desk intently watching news reports on the television sitting near the far wall. President Jason Miguel Chavez listens and watches intently as the news flashes images of the shooting incident that took place earlier that day. President Chavez has aged well, although he has graying hair and a few undistinguished wrinkles, he is the model of health. At fifty five he is still considered quite a handsome man and more vital than he ever was when he was in his thirties. The look of a man who was wise but hardened by time and his surrounding circumstances, adorns his face.

"_Earlier today Police responded to a shooting just south of downtown. Details are sketchy at this time but one of our cameramen caught this astonishing video of a man being hauled off by police. Amazingly he bears a remarkable resemblance to President Jason Chavez. The buzz is the shooting was an attempt on the President's life, but bigger questions remain. Is this man truly the President and if so, why does he appear to be twenty years younger than our present Commander in Chief? The man is allegedly being held at the San Francisco police department…" _says the news broadcast.

President Chavez bridges his eyebrows and shakes his head slightly "What the hell is going on?"

At that moment a black man wearing a black suit and tie opens the door to the Oval Office "Mr. President have you seen sir?"

"Indeed I have Peterson. I think I wanna check this out for myself." says the President.


	5. Chapter 5

The young black man casually walks in the door to the Oval Office and shuts it with discretion. He walks over to the windows behind the President's desk and peeks through the shades. He breathes hard and gives the President a concerned look.

"I know that look Peterson, what's the problem?" asks the President.

"Sir I would have to strongly advise against this. I mean this incident just proves that this city is no longer safe. With the tensions rising between us and the Maples, I just don't know." says Peterson.

President Chavez just smirks as he finishes squaring away his briefcase "I think your more worried about taking a bullet than I am. But I keep forgetting that it is your job _to _take a bullet for me. But needless to say this event has me more than little curious. Hundreds of people saying they saw me downtown earlier today in the middle of a shoot out and supposed video evidence of the cops hauling a younger looking version of me off to the police station has my interest more than a little piqued. I gotta find out who the cops are holding down there."

Peterson sighs hard "Ok, but you'll be flanked by double the amount of agents, that place is bound to be crawling with reporters and God knows who else. Your putting yourself in a high risk situation here Mr. President, we just can't take a chance."

"Take a chance of what Agent Peterson?" asks another voice coming from the front door of the office.

Standing just inside the door is Gabrielle Chavez, wife to the President and First Lady to the country. Gabrielle was a vision of loveliness that had many a man spellbound. Despite her being a woman in her late forties, her appearance gave no hint of her true age. Her golden tan skin, long raven black hair, almond shaped cat's eyes, and full lips sent men into fits of desire. She stood at about five foot eight in height, slim figure and had long curvaceous legs. Needless to say she was bursting with feminine wiles and was every bit the description of an exotic beauty.

Peterson let out a nervous chuckle "Mrs. Chavez, didn't see you there."

Gabrielle walks into the room and shuts the door, she than strides over to the older Jason and crosses her arms "What's going on?"

Jason looks at Gabrielle and swallows hard. He knows his wife is a very strong willed woman and could be quite the fiery type as was the reputation of most Hispanic women, he puts his tongue into his cheek and smiles "Nothing you need to concern yourself with my dear. I'm just going to check something out down at the police station, nothing to worry about."

"Are you crazy, Jason did you see what just happened. There was a shootout downtown with someone the news is saying looks like you. Why in the world would you go down there?' says Gabrielle.

Jason gets up from his desk and begins to walk towards the door "Look I don't have time to explain myself to you Gabby! I'm doing what I have to do, okay."

"Well than I'm coming with you." she says she begins to walk over to him.

"Out of the question, your staying here!" Jason says.

"Dammit, Jay look at me, I'm your wife and I'm scared for you. In case you haven't figured it out I love you, I wanna be with you now! It's like we hardly ever talk or see each other anymore!" she yells.

"Look this has nothing to do with us, I don't wanna get into this right now. I gotta go, Peterson." says Jason as he turns to head out the door.

Gabrielle grabs his arm and looks into his eyes, than leans in and kisses him gently on the lips "Be careful mi amor."

Jason's heart flutters for a moment as he had almost forgotten the sweet taste of his wife's lips, the smell of her perfume and her kind and loving eyes. One part of him just wanted to take her in his arms, but the other part…the hardened and stoic soldier, would not let his feelings get in the way of his duty. He reluctantly breaks his gaze and turns to walk out the door "Let's go Peterson."

A moment later, both Peterson and the President are out of the office leaving Gabrielle alone. She breathes hard through her nose and walks over to the front desk. Picking up one of the many photographs on the counter she looks at a snapshot of her and Jason when they were younger, sharing an innocent kiss at a picnic. Angrily she places the picture facing downwards down on the counter top, a single tear dripping from her eye…

* * *

Sergeant Douglass sits backwards in a wooden chair with his arms folded across the back. He slightly rocks back and forth in a state of deep thought. He has just been told a story that is nothing short of fantastic by the two detainees he has been interviewing. Several moments pass by without anyone uttering so much as a word. Finally the Sergeant lets out an exasperated smirk and looks back up to the Professor.

"You do realize the situation you've put yourselves in." says Douglass.

"Sir believe me I know the difficulty in accepting the explanation we've just presented to you." says Maria.

"But we assure you it is the truth." says the Professor.

"Parallel dimensions, it's uh…different to say the least. If that's the story your gonna be presenting to the judge, there's one of two things that'll happen to you. One is you'll be laughed right out of court, the other is you'll be committed." says Douglass.

Maria just shakes her head in annoyance as she looks at Arturo "I knew this was a waste of time, we should've known he wouldn't believe us."

"Now I didn't say that. Look I like to think of myself as pretty open minded guy. But even for somebody with an open mind, something like that is going way beyond open acceptance, it's lunacy. So I suppose your telling me that the other guy, the one you came with, the one who looks like the President…he's some kind of other worldly alien as well?" asks Douglass.

Arturo slams his open palm on the table "Sir if you at all listened to the story we just told you, you'd know we are…"

Maria blatantly cuts him off " Calm down Professor, let me handle this. Sergeant you can clearly see we are as much Earth people as you are. Try to think of it like this, we come from the very same planet you do, we are simply from another dimension. Here let me try to explain…"

The doctor reaches into her pocket and pulls out a Rubik's cube "I usually have one of these on me, still can't figure the damn thing out, but I'm an Astro-Physicist, go figure."

Both Douglass and Arturo give her impatient stares and she immediately gets to the point "Anyway, looking at this Rubik's cube from the front you can only see the front face. Yet when you turn it over, suddenly it becomes clear that there are many sides that can only be perceived through certain angles. That's the way parallel universes essentially work, the world you see and perceive around you, this world, is only the front face of the Rubik's cube. Existing in parallel are many more dimensions to the cube, therefore the entirety of the cube is the what is referred to as the Mutli-Verse. You see Sergeant, myself, the Professor and my cousin are simply from another side of the cube."

Arturo begins to clap lightly "Very well put Miss Chavez."

Douglass raises an eyebrow "Ok, let's say for the sake of argument that all this true, that you come from some other universe. I remember you saying something about exact twins living in these other dimensions or whatever you call them. Tell me why that fellow in the next room, your cousin, is so much younger than the President who is supposed to be his duplicate in this universe."

Arturo grins slightly "Well I can see you were paying some attention Sergeant. In Theoretical Physics there is as concept known as Relativistic Time Dilation first put forward by a man named Herbert Van Meir. He postulated that there were some universes within the Multi-Verse that contained Earth's, which spun on their axis at different speeds and rates of time. Apparently this Earth proves this theory. Obviously your Earth is spinning on it's axis at about the double the rate that ours does, which would explain the different ages of the Colonel's and Miss Chavez's doubles."

Douglass merely shakes his head in clear indication that what the Professor has just said has gone over his head "I think I got the Rubik's cube analogy a little bit better. I'll be back, I need some coffee." says the Sergeant as he hurriedly leaves the room.

Arturo looks at Maria and nods "I think he got the whole jist, aye?"

Meanwhile just outside the door Douglass is rubbing his temples as another policeman walks up to him "So you getting anywhere with those two Sergeant?"

"My head is spinning from everything I just heard. Can I ask you something, have you ever heard of parallel universes?" asks Douglass.

* * *

A polished and sleek all black Sedan pulls into the parking spots just to the side of the San Francisco Police Department. Inside are two men dressed in plain street clothes and wearing dark sunglasses. The driver cuts the engine and breathes hard.

President Chavez takes off his sunglasses and looks to Peterson in the driver's seat. He is dressed in black loose fitting jeans, a knit top and a black jean jacket "Peterson, relax…everything's gonna be fine."

Peterson who is dressed in similar plain clothes looks back to the President "You know how many violations we're breaking now. I mean just being here is under proper protocol. Sir I don't know why you wouldn't agree to other agents being present."

"To many people around will just give off suspicion . I'm trying to stay low key here, not be recognized. That wasn't likely to happen with a bunch of secret service hovering around me. Now stay cool and calm, hey I brought you didn't I?" says the President.

The two men exit the vehicle and casually walk through the front door of the police station, with the President in the lead. The pair walk right up to the front desk and Jason motions for Peterson to stay behind him. He leans over the counter and looks down at the officer sitting there.

"Can I help you sir?" asks the officer.

"Yea uh, you guys brought in somebody not to long ago. Tall guy about six two, black hair, tan skin. He was involved in a shootout downtown, I was wondering if I could talk to him." asks the President.

"I'm sorry sir, but anyone whose mandated to police custody…"

The young officer is abruptly cut off by one of the policemen that was interrogating the younger Jason "Hold on Corporal, I'll handle this. Might I ask you just what business you have the suspect mister?"

The President just smiles "Well I kind of have this fascination with people who look exactly like me." he says as he removes his sunglasses to reveal his bright hazel eyes.

Peterson walks up beside the President and flashes his Secret Service badge "For your own security I suggest you not ask anymore questions officer and just do what the man asks."

The young corporal comically stands up and salutes, spilling his coffee in the process "It's you, it's really you."

The interrogation officer just stands with his mouth agape "Mr. President, sir forgive me, I didn't realize it was you."

"That's ok officer, but how about that man, can I see him or not." says President Chavez.

"Certainly Sir, right this way." says the officer as he leads the President and Peterson to the room where Jason is being held. "Mr. President I don't know if you would wanna go in there sir, it might be a shock to your system."

Jason just narrows his eyes a bit "On the contrary, I would very much enjoy meeting myself."


	6. Chapter 6

The old building across the way from the police station stood as a relic of another era. It's tenements had been abandoned years prior and it's structure had fallen into disrepair. On one of the upper floors, one of the many indistinguishable windows amongst the multitude served as a look out post for someone watching the police station intently. The man was average build and dressed as any ordinary citizen would be. He wore a ragged baseball cap and dusty pants. Around his neck hung a heavy pair of binoculars and in his hand a sophisticated walky talky. He paced back and forth, never taking his eyes off the front entrance of the station.

"_Eagle eyes, do you copy_?" crackled a voice over the walky talky.

"Yea this is Eagle Eyes…" answered the man.

"_What's the news_?" asked the raspy voice.

"Our two boys hit a misfire the first time. I got em' waitin down below for my signal. We tailed the cops back to the station and saw em' bring in the package. But just a few minutes ago I saw another two guys walk in and one of em' fit the description of the target as well. I couldn't get a definite fix because he was wearing sunglasses, dressed in civies." answered the man with a patient voice.

"_So now your telling me we've got two guys in the police station that fit the description of our target. Ok this is what you do, this is an opportunity we can't pass up, one of them has got to be our target. The first one you see coming out of the station, you ignite him…do you copy_."

"What if it's the wrong one?" asks Eagle Eyes.

"_Let me deal with that_." says the walky talky in a sinister tone.

Eagle Eyes just smiles evilly "Roger that."

Meanwhile down below the two men who had fired upon the crowd earlier in the brown car, sit hidden in a parking garage across the way. The driver holds an identical walky talky and listens as Eagle Eye's voice comes over the device.

"_Ok boys, we've got our orders. When I give you the signal you do a drive by and light em' up. This is your last chance, you screw up on this one and it's both your asses. We owe it to Mother Canada to get this one right." _says Eagle Eyes over the radio.

The driver of the brown car just nods and looks at his passenger who holds an M-16 Full Automatic at the ready "We copy that Eagle Eyes."

* * *

Colonel Chavez sits quietly behind the table, still handcuffed. It had been about thirty minutes since the two cops who had interrogated him had left the room mockingly laughing at him. He was getting anxious as was evident by his constant tapping of his foot on the floor. A million different thoughts were running through his mind as he tried to process the day's events. Not more than a few hours ago he was leading a normal life that somehow felt empty to him. He longed for something more, he longed for purpose and meaning. What Jason Chavez yearned for most, was greater truth. Now he sat in a police station, accused of impersonating the leader of the free world in another dimension.

"Well one thing is for sure Professor, you sure delivered on your promises." he said in a low tone, a chuckle escaping his throat.

At that moment the door slowly opened and in walked one of the officers that had interviewed him, a young black man and someone that made his senses freeze up. In walked President Chavez, his older alter ego on this universe. Jason swallowed hard and blinked in disbelief.

President Chavez has a similar reaction and just stares blankly for a few moments, quite unable to come to grips with what he's seeing. Sitting at the table, in handcuffs is himself, twenty years younger "My God, it's like looking back in time. I must say I am impressed."

Jason looks up to his double and nods in agreement "Ditto."

The President gains more composure and narrows his eyes a bit. He than retrieves a chair and places it a few feet in front of the table. With ease he sits down and leans over, looking into the eyes of his younger self "So I'll bite, just who or what the hell are you?'

Jason himself gains more self composure and intakes a sharp breath "I think we've established that…I'm you."

The President now becomes angered as his fists tighten up " The Maples sent you didn't they. I know what you are, your some kind of genetic clone, or a robot or something. Your nothing but a damn abomination."

Jason remains stone serious "None of the above."

The President rises up from his chair as his agitation continues to escalate and address the policeman "I want you to tell me what in living hell this _thing_ is!" he shouts pointing directly at Jason.

"Sir the only info that we've gotten from him so far is some wacko sci-fi story about alternate twins and dimensions or what not." says the officer, his voice exasperated.

"Look I'm from an alternate dimen…" Jason starts to say.

"Shut up, I don't want to hear one damn word from you!" shouts the President as he cuts Jason off. He looks back over to the officer and in a more malevolent tone "Everything from the top officer and slowly this time."

The officer takes a deep breath "Ok, the suspect claims Sir that he is from some parallel universe and that you two are exact copies of each other. That he is your double or you're his double or something like that."

Jason slams his arms on the table and stands up, which gets everyone's attention "What if I said I could prove it! What if I could prove that I'm you and your me?"

The room becomes silent for a few seconds before Peterson speaks up "How?'

"What's the one thing that no one can fake when their trying to impersonate someone else, huh?" says Jason as he holds up his open palms.

The officer looks back at the President "He's right Mr. President, that is the only rock solid way to prove or disprove this. Sir would you consent to give your fingerprints to test against this man's?"

With fury on his face, the President throws off his jacket and angrily rolls up his sleeve as a clear indication of his consent.

Peterson looks back to the officer "Hurry up!" He looks to the younger Jason and points "Don't you even think about moving."

The officer literally runs out of the room and within seconds returns with a ink pad and document paper. He urgently takes the President's index finger and thumb print and does the same with Jason "I'll only be a few minutes." he says as he again runs out of the room.

The next few minutes are spent in thorny silence as the President and Jason just stare each other down, both refusing to break their gaze on the other. The President just gives his younger self an angered look as Jason returns a more concerned and reserved gaze. President Jason Chavez was a proud man and he saw this as a direct violation of his very identity. One thing he saw as almost sacred to himself was the fact that there was no one else like him. As he saw it there was only one Jason Chavez and no one could take that away. Something this other man now threatened to do.

After the few minutes of nothing but stares and silence the officer runs back into the room and delivers the verdict "Sir the computer results came back as an identical match. It's unbelievable but this man is indeed you."

The President just winces slightly as an almost disgusted look crosses his face. He turns to look back as Jason who has an unmistakable look of relief.

Peterson just looks blankly into space "Holy Mary and Joseph, how is this possible?"

The President walks up to within inches of Jason, the two looking at each other at perfect eye level. The look of anger and fury now gone from his face, replaced with confusion "Do you know what your asking me to believe?"

"Yes I do, it's the same thing I asked myself to believe when I jumped

into that vortex and saw your face for the first time. Look my two companions can vouch for me." says Jason.

The President looks back at the officer "What's this about companions?'

"Yes Sir, this man was brought in with two others who apparently share his story."

The older Jason than looks back at his younger doppleganger "I think I wanna go talk to them, bring him."

At that the President leads the way in walking out of the room followed by Peterson and the officer who grabs Jason by the arm and leads him out of the room.

* * *

Gabrielle Chavez looked out the window with a wide view of the whole of San Francisco . The city was a truly magnificent sight as it was this world's national capitol. The sunny day had given way to clouds and the brightness of the afternoon had transformed into a gray and gloomy landscape. The First Lady smiled a bit as she recognized the appropriate analogy of the day as it seemed to mirror her own life. Bright and sunny one moment, gloomy and sad the next. Than as if on que, the rain began to fall as it pelted against the glass of the large window. Gabrielle sighed and went to sit in a large armchair overlooking a fire place. Staring blankly into the empty furnace she closed her eyes and was about to drift off to sleep when there was a knock at the door.

Gabrielle turns around in the chair "Come in."

The door opens and a young Caucasian man in a black suit pops his head in "I'm sorry to disturb you Mrs. Chavez but you have somebody here, who would like to see you."

Gabrielle wrinkles her forehead in a quizzical gesture when a young beautiful woman enters the room. Instantly the First Lady's eyes light up as she bolts out of her chair.

"Guess who!" shouts the young woman.

Gabrielle embraces the young lady as the two laugh. This is Cassandra Chavez, twenty year old daughter of Jason and Gabrielle Chavez. The young woman is every bit as beautiful as her mother, radiant, vibrant and full of life.

"Oh my goodness baby, what are you doing here? I thought you still had another semester of school?" says Gabrielle with uncontainable enthusiasm.

"Well it's good to see you to mom. I thought I'd take this spring break and spend it with my favorite parents." laughs Cassandra.

"Oh darling that's wonderful, I'm so glad to see you! How's the modeling going?" asks Gabby as she puts her arm around her daughter and leads her to take a seat on the sofa.

"It's going great mom, I have a full time contract with Vogue and next year I'm going on a tour of France, I'm so excited! Say where's daddy, I wanna see the look on his face?" Cassandra asks as she looks around the room half expecting her father to pop out.

Gabrielle just looks away slightly almost afraid to tell her daughter where her father has gone off to, but restrains herself "Oh you know your father, always running around. We'll surprise him when he gets back. So tell me any boy situations." she asks with a sly grin.

Cassandra gives her mother a sheepish look "Wellll…" she says as both erupt into feminine giggling…

* * *

The entourage of four containing the President, Peterson, the interrogation officer and Jason walks down the wide halls of the police station to a nearby interrogation room. President Chavez stops in front of the door and looks back to the officer.

The officer nods "Yes sir, this is it."

The President gives a nod back and looks back to his younger double. He than gestures for him to proceed through the door first. Jason complies and walks in to confront both his cousin and Professor Arturo.

"Hey guys, miss me?" he asks rather humorously.

Both the Professor and Maria walk over to Jason with smiles of relief adorning their faces. Maria puts her hands on Jason's shoulder.

"Oh my God Jason we were so worried! Are you ok, how did you get here?" asks Maria in rapid succession.

"How are you bearing up my boy?" asks Arturo.

Jason just looks down "Guys there's somebody here I think you should meet."

At this moment in walks the other three with the President coming in last. The older Jason fixes his eyes on Maria and is dumbstruck, even more than what he was by seeing his younger self. In sheer disbelief he strides right up to Maria and opens his mouth wide "My God in heaven, Maria could that really be you?"

Maria looks up to the President and draws back in slight disbelief herself "This is truly amazing, an exact dimensional duplicate."

The President puts his hands on Maria's shoulder and bends down slightly to meet her stare, tears welling up in his eyes "Dear God, I saw you die ten years ago, I don't understand…tell me is it really you?' he says as the tears now begin falling freely from his eyes.

Maria shoots a quick gaze to the younger Jason and he gives her a telling nod. She than looks back to the President and reluctantly nods her head "Yes Jason, it's really me."

Without another word President Chavez embraces his other dimensional cousin as he weeps almost uncontrollably "Oh praise the Lord, oh God I've missed you!" he says as he releases her.

Arturo extends his hand "I am Professor Maximillian Arturo my dear Mr. President. Needless to say I know all this must be quite a shock to you."

The President shakes the Professor's hand "Yea you could say that."

Arturo smiles "Yes indeed, but I believe all this can be explained in due course Sir, if you would simply allow us the opportunity.

"Need more proof?" asks Jason as the President looks back at him.

The President than turns to look at Arturo "Let's talk at the House, huh."


	7. Chapter 7

Every eye in the police station, coming from convict and cop alike, gawked at the little procession of people that filed out of interrogation room 109. The President led a motley crew, which contained the three Sliders, down the hallway of the police station. A rough looking vagrant, which was handcuffed and being led by an officer, stopped and brushed President's Chavez's arm.

"Say prez', when you gonna start enforcing that prison reform you was talkin bout, when you ran for election?" asked the vagrant, whose breath smelled of stale alcohol."

The President stopped, looked at the man and put a hand on his shoulder "Tell me something, what are you in for pal?" he asks as he looks to the officer who was leading the man.

"He was brought in for mugging and old woman." said the officer.

"Tell you what, you give back was you stole from that old lady, and I'll think about it, huh." says the President as he smiles and continues to walk down the hallway led by the others.

The Professor grins in elation "Oh think about it Miss Chavez, we are going to be guests of the President himself. What an exuberant thought, aye!"

Maria just returns a look of worry "Indeed Max, however I am worried about Jason and how he's handling all this."

"You needn't worry about the Colonel, he's a rock. It takes a strong resolve to adjust to the marvels of Sliding. The Colonel seems to be acclimating himself quite well indeed." says Arturo rubbing his hands together, still savoring the thought of visiting the White House.

When the small band reaches the front of the station, Peterson hands the President a pair sunglasses "Here Sir, you better put these on." he says and turns to point to Jason "…and you, keep your head down with no sudden noises. The less attention we attract the better."

Jason smirks in sarcasm "Yes sir, General sir!"

Peterson whips his head around in response to the comment and grabs Jason by the collar "Look, this is not a game! The security of the entire United States government is at stake here!"

Jason slaps off Peterson's hand and in turn grabs the young black man's collar and forces him against the wall "Look pal, I don't give a damn who you are, you keep your hands off me, is that understood!"

"Alright enough of this childish rubbish, I thought the goal was to keep a low profile." says the Professor as he breaks up the little squabble.

President Chavez looks at his younger self and smiles "You really are me, aren't you."

Jason just gives his double and knowing stare and straightens himself out before walking ahead of the party. The President smiles in reaction and grabs Peterson's arm as he begins to walk in unison.

"Look Peterson, cool the hardened agent motif huh, I mean it is me…and me, your dealing with here." says the President in a sly yet wise tone.

Maria looks upward, her eyes locked in a worried expression "Why do I have the feeling this is not going to be a smooth ride?"

Just before the party of five reach the front entrance of the police station, another officer walks past leading a woman whose attire resembles that of a gypsy in handcuffs. As they walk past, the gypsy woman lightly grabs the President's arm and looks up at him. Her features worn by time, nevertheless ominous and solemn.

"Beware of the fullness of the double moon, for it will signal times of peril for you and your identical." says the gypsy woman.

The President just looks at her with wariness in his eyes as the officer escorting her, yanks her away "Alright now, enough of that! Sorry about that sir, just some fortune teller we hauled in."

The Professor steps forward with a quizzical and probing expression as he looks on, seeing the fortune teller hauled away "I believe I know that woman. Yes indeed, my companions and I once landed on a world steeped in mysticism and the occult, I distinctly remember that woman's face. How odd it seemed she was some sort of seer there as well, she did a reading for Miss Wells. I seem to recall her observations were quite accurate to say the least.

"Well it seems her double in this universe follows a similar vocation." adds Maria as Arturo continues to look on.

"I wonder…" says Arturo.

"What the hell did she mean, the fullness of the double moon?" asks Jason.

"Of course, that's it! That would explain the time dilation of this Earth, two moons!" exclaims the Professor.

"Yes that would bare out Van Meir's theory, if you double the amount of gravitational pull on the Earth's rotation, that would account for the increased speed of revolutions on it's axis, therefore shortening the days to approximately one half of a rotational cycle of our Earth. Ergo the advancement of the time dilation process making it appear as if our doubles have aged some twenty years from our perspective." says Maria with a wide smile.

"Excellent deductive reasoning Miss Chavez!" as he pats her on the shoulder.

"Ok someone wanna tell me just what is going on?" asks the President looking a bit confused.

"My dear Mr. President, tell me it's true that this Earth has indeed two moons." asks Arturo clasping his hands together.

"That's right Artemis and Luna…" answers the President, still a bit confused.

"Named after the two moon goddesses in mythology, fascinating! One more thing, how long is a day here?" asks Maria.

The President grows more confused by the moment as his face reflects this "Thirteen hours, why how long is a day for you?"

"In our universe, the Earth has a twenty four long day and we only have one moon." interjects Jason.

The President raises his eyebrows "Is that right, one moon and a twenty four hour day? "

"Hold on, I still don't get it. How would that account for the age difference between us and our doubles?" asks Jason.

"Don't you see my boy, shorter days result in accelerated time dilation. You see in our terms, they appear to be roughly twenty years older, but in their perspective, they've aged quite normally according to this world's rotational cycle." says the Professor.

"Oh sure, that explains everything." says the President.

"I suggest we get a move on Sir, before things get any weirder." says Peterson.

At the very same time the party of five emerge from the police station, the watcher known as Eagle Eyes spots them from his perch in the old building across the way. As he looks through his high powered binoculars, he grins deviously and radios into his walky talky "Ok boys, we've hit a stroke a luck. Both targets have emerged from building, go now!"

Meanwhile down below, the five linger in front of the station, trying to decide on their next course of action. "Ok as to not call anymore attention to ourselves, I suggest we all get back to the nest as quick as humanly possible. I for one don't like being out here in the open, especially with such high grade cargo."

"Agreed, the faster we get out of here, the better." says Arturo.

Jason than spots a brown car speeding down the road in their direction. He stops and looks closer, his eyes widening as he spots what looks like the barrel of an automatic weapon emerging from the driver's window.

"Hey guys!" he shouts.

Peterson looks back and spots the speeding vehicle approaching. His instincts and training as a Secret Service Agent kick in, as not a moment to soon he grabs the President and pulls him down to ground as he yells to the others "Get down, now!!!!"

The others follow suit and drop to the pavement as a hail of automatic fire bursts from the speeding vehicle, a wall of bullets smashing into everything within sight. Windows shatter, cars are riddled and people duck for cover as the devastating attack commences. The President looks up, rage engulfing his eyes as his own instincts boil over. "Oh hell no!" he says as he grabs Peterson's side arm from inside his jacket and bolts out into the street.

With nothing but pure adrenaline and anger pumping, he fires off round after round after the escaping vehicle "You want a piece of me you son of bitch, c'mon!!!" he shouts.

The President's unexpected counter attack shatters the back window of the brown car, striking the passenger in the back of the head. A second shot manages to blow out a tire and the automobile goes careening off the road, crashing into a lamp post. The President runs toward the scene of the accident and swiftly reaches into the driver's side window, delivering blow after blow to the injured driver. Peterson runs after his charge and pulls him away from his attack on the vehicle's driver.

"Mr. President stop, Sir enough!" he shouts as he forces the older Jason back.

The President gets a hold of his senses and in a fit of rage tosses the gun out into the street "Damn Canadian maggots!"

Meanwhile the trio of Sliders slowly raise to their feet as they look on at the scenario playing out just down the road. Several police officers spill out of the precinct in response to the drive by attack. Jason lowers his hand from his ears as he was shielding them from the deafening noise of the gunfire "Ok this is definitely getting old! I can't believe that crazy bastard just did that."

Arturo looks back to the Colonel with just a hint of a smile on his face "Indeed, it seems your double is quite the man of action…and in a world as seemingly as hostile as this one is, it could get him killed."

"Look lets just get the hell out of here!" says Jason as the three run toward the President and Peterson down the road.

Jason reaches his double and nearly tackles him "What are you insane, what the hell were you thinking!"

The President turns around and grabs one side of Jason's collar " Well what hell did you expect me to do, huh!"

Jason stops and realizes his double's motivations for his actions and nods "Probably the same thing I would've done."

Suddenly a car pulls up, with Peterson in the driver's seat. He stops the car and beckons for the others to get in "Hurry up, all of you get in!"

The other four climb into the vehicle and it speeds off…


	8. Chapter 8

The White House was a hub of beehive activity as one would expect in the headquarters of the commander in chief. People in both military and business suits alike walked and roamed the great halls, each to perform their own unique function. There were a few rooms and spaces where the President and his family could retreat to if they wanted some time alone or to spend time as a family. But for the most part their "home" was occupied by over two hundred people at any one time.

President Chavez sternly led his party through the busy halls of the White House with a sense of command as a General would lead a platoon. The President had a commanding presence by nature that was nurtured by both his natural stance and build and his career as a military officer. The President, like his younger counterpart, stood a good six foot two, with a muscular build. The younger Jason had many of the same commanding qualities as his presidential double, stemming from him to being of military background. Both men fit the positions of power and respect that they occupied.

After racing through the halls, the five reach the Oval Office. Jason had all this time tried to conceal his face to avoid any unwanted attention. The Professor marveled at his surroundings and grinned as a child would in a candy store.

"Ahh the White House, it's everything I imagined it would be. Not as impressive as Buckingham Palace in Britain, but overall not bad." said Arturo pressing his hands together in delight.

The President smirked "Glad you like it Professor. Especially when you have two or three hundred people stomping through what is supposed to be your home everyday."

Arturo looks around whimsically "Yes I see what you mean."

The President grabs Jason and shoves him through the door of the Oval Office "Get in there, I don't want people noticing that there are two of me wandering around out here."

Jason offers some resistance before he enters "Hey watch it buddy, we may be identical copies of each other, but ya know. Ease up on the merchandise."

"Get in there will ya." says the President as he slams the door shut. "Alright Peterson, get at least two Agents on this door. Leave explicit instructions that no one is to enter and we are not to be disturbed."

Peterson immediately calls over two Agents and begins to relay the President's orders. He than turns back and addresses the older Jason "Alright Sir, you better get inside, I'll handle things out here.'

"Ok, but as soon as you get everything square I want you in there with me. You're my top guy, I'm gonna need you to help plan our next move." says the President.

Peterson gives a quick salute "Yes Sir, Mr. President."

President Chavez quickly hurries the Professor and Maria inside the Oval Office and follows them in, quickly shutting the door behind him. While inside they notice that Jason has taken the liberty of roaming the office and analyzing several of the President's awards and commendations.

The older Jason walks up to his younger double "Just what the hell do you think your doing, who asked you to take that off the wall?"

The Colonel ignores his older counterpart and continues reading the framed commendation he holds in his hand. A wide grin crosses his face as he looks back up to the President "I can't believe it, I made Brigadier General on this world, holy crap!"

The President yanks the framed commendation from Jason's hands "No, I made Brigadier General on this world." He looks down at the commendation and smiles "Yea, that must've been ten years ago. Promoted to Brigadier, retired five years later."

Jason nods "Right…and you got the Distinguished Service Cross Medal!" he says as he makes his way over to another wall displaying several ribbons, awards and medals the President had earned during his time in the Army.

"Yup, along with the Soldier's Medal Of Heroism and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. Plus a few Bronze Stars and even a Legion Of Merit. Yea, those were the days…" the President says with a sigh of satisfaction.

"Damn talk about your freakin over achiever." says Jason with a laugh.

"Very impressive Sir. But you should also know, that our Jason Chavez is no slouch when it comes to impressive military achievements either." says Arturo.

The President crosses his arms "Really, I didn't even know you were in the military."

Jason gives his double an annoyed yet challenging tone "I'll have you know I'm a Lieutenant Colonel of the U.S. Air Force. With a Joint Service Achievement Medal, Combat Action Medal and a Gallant Unit Citation."

"Combat Action Medal, I thought you Air Force types were all fly boys." says the President with a mocking tone.

Jason steps forward in a hostile manner as if to defend his own honor "Listen you cocky bastard…"

"Oh for goodness sake, could we stop the mine is bigger than yours crap already! We've got more important things to worry about!" shouts Maria as she cuts Jason off.

Arturo grins "Very well said Miss Chavez."

The President seemingly ignores her outburst and continues his banter "Still Lieutenant Colonel is impressive for your age. Even if it is with the Chair Force."

This insult seems to enrage Jason even more as he again steps up to confront his older self, but stops in his tracks when the door of the Oval Office swings open and in walks Agent Peterson.

"Ok, were cool outside, nobody will be coming in." Peterson looks around, as his eyes probe the unfolding drama "Um, did I miss anything?"

"Yea, me about to kick his sorry ass." says Jason addressing the President.

"You wish fly boy." the older Jason fires back.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen…I suggest we focus on the problem at hand." interjects Arturo.

"Yea like the media jumping all over what just happened outside the police station." says Peterson as he hurriedly flicks on the television in front of the President's desk.

"What do you mean, there were no news cameras out there!" shouts Maria.

"No but there were security cameras mounted outside the station." says Peterson.

"How the devil did the Press get a hold of the security footage?" asks Arturo.

"On this world, the Press can do just about anything!" says the President.

News reports fly across the screen as black and white footage spill over every news station. Continuous loops of the President running out into the street and shooting back at his attackers, play out across every news station.

…_Here you see amazing footage taken outside the San Fransisco Police Precinct of President Chavez firing wildly at his assailants that allegedly executed a drive by as the President and several other people exited the police station. Now exactly what the President was doing at the station, remains unclear at this time. But here we see our commander in chief running towards the scene of the crashed vehicle of his attackers after firing off several rounds in retaliation. A few seconds later, we can also see in the grainy footage, another man that closely resembles the President, also run across the camera's lens. It is now being speculated that this is the very same man captured by police in today's earlier shoot out downtown. The very same man that was caught on our news cameras, as he was hauled off. Right now it is chaos as people demand to know, just what in the world is going on. Is there an imposter that is impersonating our President roaming the streets, and is the real President a crazed vigilante or heroic avenger for his actions outside the police station? _says a local news anchor.

"They say they got the guy that was driving the car in police custody, but no other details have been given." says Peterson.

"Nice goin, action hero." says Jason to the President.

"Oh shut the hell up! I suppose a fly boy like you would've ran away! Or is that how your military handles combat situations in your universe?" retorts the older Jason.

"Guys, enough! We have to figure out what were gonna do, instead of arguing amongst each other!" shouts Maria.

"Mr. President, at the scene I heard you shout something about damn Maples. Am I to understand the men who shot at you were Canadian operatives?" asks the Professor.

The older Jason just collapses into his chair behind his desk "Who else."

"Look pretty boy, you wanna explain to us just why the hell would Canada want the U.S. President dead?" stammers Jason.

"Sir, I do believe the Colonel has a point. Now if we are to understand the situation , we need to know the history of your two countries. Now what exactly is behind the hostilities between Canada and the United States in this universe?" asks the Professor.

"Alaskan oil, that's what." says Peterson.

"The Maples are so pissed off that the U.S. conned them out of the Alaskan purchase. When they got wind of the vast oil reserve up there, they became the U.S.'s most bitter enemy." says the President.

"You see, the Canadian government was totally unaware of the oil fields that lay underneath the expanse of Alaska. To them it was just more worthless tundra. When our Geologists discovered the oil reserves, our government began scheming to buy the land from Canada. The higher ups cooked up a cover story of wanting to use the property for an airbase that was nearer to our theater in the Pacific. With that Canada sold us Alaska for less than dirt cheap." says Peterson.

"Legislation passed fifteen years ago to make Alaska an official state and that's what leaked the oil secret." says the President, his head in his hands.

"Good Lord, your telling me that Alaska only became a state some fifteen years ago? Why in our universes, Alaska was purchased by the U.S. in 1867 from Russia. Why the oil reserves there have been widely known about for some time." says Arturo.

President Chavez looks back up to Arturo, a confused looks on his face "Who the hell is Russia?"

Meanwhile outside, Gabrielle and her daughter Cassie are strolling outside through the halls of the White House. The two women are gossiping about as mothers and daughters often do. The two of them none the wiser about the events that have just transpired involving the President and the inter dimensional travelers.

"Mom you think Daddy, might be back by now?" asks Cassie.

"Let's stop by the office and check." says Gabby.

The pair turn a corner and a few minutes later are walking up to the front door of the Oval Office. They stop and surprised to it flanked by two Secret Service Agents. Gabrielle slowly walks up to one of the agents.

"Excuse me agents, is my husband inside?" asks Gabby sweetly.

"Um, yes ma'am…" says one of the agents.

"Well than could I see him please." Gabby answers back.

"That's a negative Mrs. Chavez, your husband has left strict orders not to be disturbed." says the second agent.

"Um excuse us…she wants to see her husband and I wanna see my father. What's going on here anyway?" asks Cassie impatiently.

"We are sorry miss, but the President left us orders he was not to be disturbed by anyone." says the first agent.

"Yea like hell…" says Gabby as she moves toward the door.

The agents try to stop her, but the fiery and feisty beauty shoves her way past them and through the door.

"Jason what the hell is going on here, I…" Gabby starts to stammer.

"So sorry Sir, we tried to stop her." says the second agent.

"Get the hell off my mother!" Cassie angrily shouts and she pushes the agents off her mother.

"Cassie…what are you doing here baby?" says the President.

"Hello Daddy, what's going on?" says Cassie

"Yes what is going on here Jay?" shouts Gabby before she stops cold and spots the younger Jason standing next to her husband.

The President notices this and the look of disbelief that crosses both his wife than his daughter's face "Now hold on baby, I can explain!"

The Colonel narrows his eyes as he quickly walks up to the First Lady, utter disbelief on his own face "Gabrielle, dear God is that you?"

"I don't believe it…" says Gabby as her eyes slowly roll back and she faints, falls back and is caught by the Professor.

Arturo gently lays the First Lady on the couch and looks back at the younger Jason "Well it seems the plot thickens."


	9. Chapter 9

The shifty man wearing the standard black suit with black tie, required of all Secret Service Agents, stood in one of the outside hallways of the White House. He stood facing the door way to the Oval Office, assuming an unwavering stance. This is Eagle Eyes, the shady observer who conducted the attempt on the President's life just a few short hours ago. He along with several other Canadian Operatives have infiltrated the U.S. Government in order to carry out their plans to take revenge on the United States from within. Eagle Eyes turns a sharp right into an adjoining hallway and makes a contact on his cell phone.

"Eagle Eyes, reporting in." he says.

"_What have you to report." _says the rough voice on the other end of the line.

"Sir, the earlier attempt failed. We never expected the President to carry out his own retaliation." says Eagle Eyes.

"_Indeed, he'll be much tougher to eliminate him than previously thought. Where is he now?"_

"He's holed up with some others in the Oval Office. What should I do?"

"_Nothing for the present moment, sit tight. I myself will try to make an entrance, see what I can find out." _says the shadowy voice.

"Understood, I'll keep a vigil on the outside. Eagle Eyes out…" he says as he snaps the cell phone shut.

While inside the Oval Office, things had taken a turn for the worst. Gabrielle Chavez lay passed out on the sofa, with her husband frantically trying to revive her, while their daughter Cassie was in the background trying to understand everything that was happening.

"Sweety, love kitten…c'mon baby. It's me Jay, wake up Gabby, c'mon." says the President as he gently fans his unconscious wife.

Cassie paces back and forth "Ok so what your telling me, is you guys are from some other planet or something and this other guy is not my dad."

"Well young lady try to understand we are from essentially the same planet, only a different dimension you see. The Colonel over here is essentially your father, only twenty years younger and from a separate alternate universe." says the Professor.

Cassie just nods her head absent mindedly as if the information passed on by the Professor has gone completely over her head. Arturo realizes this and begins another explanation.

"Try to think of it like this young woman, I…" he starts to say.

Just than Maria cuts in "I'll take it from here Max." she says as she takes a hold of Cassie's arm and tries to explain the situation in more simplistic terms.

The Professor goes over to Jason who it seems is lost in deep thought as he just stares at the unconscious form of the First Lady "Well in all this commotion I would've expected more of a response from you my boy. What a…what seems to be troubling you?"

"It's her Professor, it's my Gabrielle. Just the thought of her and me, married. It was all I ever used to dream of." Jason says, his stare on the First Lady not breaking for a second.

"Well than I take it you and the First Lady had a bit of a history back on your world. " says Arturo.

"Yea, you could say that." Jason answers his voice breaking slightly.

"Listen to me Colonel, I've seen this very same scenario played out many times in my past travels. Encountering the doubles of lost loved ones that meant a great deal to us in our home dimensions. I myself once ran into my late wife on one of the many universes I landed in. But what you must try to remember is that these people are not the same ones we knew back home. Take you and the President for instance, you share many of the same qualities, but you also hold more than a few differences as well. That woman lying on the couch is not the same one you knew back home. " says Arturo.

Jason just breaks his vigilant stare of the First Lady and shoots the Professor a "Yeah Whatever" type of stare as he walks over to the couch. The President gets up to see to his daughter and leaves the unconscious Gabrielle alone for a moment. Jason looks down and gently brushes a strand of hair away from Gabby's face and smiles warmly.

"Even a little older, your just as beautiful as I remember you." he whispers.

Arturo just shakes his head as he watches the scene unfold _"I suppose he'll have to learn the hard way." _he thinks to himself.

Slowly the lovely First Lady opens her gorgeous almond shaped eyes, the form of the younger Jason gradually coming into sharp focus. She smiles at him and reaches up to caress the side of his face.

"Oh Jay, is that really you, I thought…" she breaks off as she suddenly realizes that the face of the man looking down at her is much younger than the face of her real husband. Her eyes dart across the room to see the President. The shock of seeing both her husband and a younger version of himself kicks in once again and she lets out a loud squeal, jumping from the couch.

Jason stammers back and tries to reach out to her, as if to silently say that he wasn't trying to hurt her. But before he can do so, he is retrained by the Professor.

"Let her be." says Arturo.

Jason tries to fight the Professor's hold "No Professor, you don't understand."

Gabrielle goes running into her husband's arms and begins to sob slightly "Oh Jason what's going on!"

The President embraces his bride and holds her firmly "It's ok baby, it's ok. Shhhh…I'm here, no one is gonna hurt you."

After a few minutes of her face buried in the older Jason's chest, the First Lady regains her composure and lifts her head to face the other Jason "Who is that, my God Jay he looks just like you, only younger. What the hell is going on!"

"Mom it's the coolest thing ever, these people are from some other universe. That guy is daddy, only younger. I can't wait to tell my science professor about this!" squeals Cassie in a child like manner.

Gabrielle just stares at the Colonel in awe inspired disbelief. She slowly unfurls herself from her husband's embrace and ventures toward the younger Jason Chavez. Once again she reaches out but this time brushes his lips with her fingertips "This can't be real, your saying your really my husband?"

Jason shakes off the Professor's hold and takes Gabrielle's hand in his own "Yes, I am Jason Miguel Chavez, just not the one you know."

The President strides over and yanks his wife's hand away from Jason's grasp jealously and pulls her back "Don't touch her." he says sternly as the other Jason shoots him an angered glance.

"How can this be?" asks Gabby timidly.

The President still holds a malevolent stare on his younger doppleganger and addresses Arturo "Ok Professor, so my wife can understand who you people really are. Take it from the top."

The rather large man with a clean shaven head sat behind his lofty desk in his moderate size office, the receiver of his telephone pressed firmly against his ear. That last bit of remaining daylight of the fading afternoon, spilled through his closed blinds. The man was not particularly muscular but bulky nonetheless. A pair of large glasses sat snugly on his nose and his hands dwarfed the telephone receiver he was holding. The man stood at least a good six and a half feet tall. This is Dr. Thaddeus Strong, top scientific advisor to President Jason Chavez.

"Yes officer I understand, because of the rather bizarre nature of the suspects story, I think I would appreciate a chance to look at the police report of their stay. The President would consider it a personal favor to him." says Strong over the phone.

"Well ok, if the President insists on it, I'll fax you over a copy of the report. Tell President Chavez the S.F.P.D. is behind him all the way!" said the officer on the other end of the line obviously trying to suck up.

"Thank you officer I will give him the message, goodbye." says Strong as he hangs up the phone.

A few seconds later the fax machine in his office comes to life, printing out a lengthy report straight from the San Fransisco Police Department. Strong gleefully retrieves the report and flips through it's contents, every second his eyes growing more satisfied by the material.

"Professor Maximillian Arturo and Dr. Maria Chavez aye? To the untrained ear, this report would sound like the ravings of a lunatic. However to me it could be the potential breakthrough I've been looking for." he says as he once again picks up the phone and makes a call.

"It's me, I think I may have the perfect plan…" he says to the person on the other end.

Note****Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story and has been following it. This chapter was an unfinished addition I started a few months back, but due to real life situations, I was unable to finish it. I wasn't even going to post it, but decided to anyway. I don't know if I will be able to finish this story or not, life has been very busy as of late. But more feedback from Sliders fans would certainly give me extra incentive to do so. So this will be the last update as it stands for right now, again thanks to everyone who has supported this fan fic.


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